1. Interaction of Cognition and Physiology IB Psychology

2. Sapolsky’s Essay  “The Burden of Being Burden Free” from The Trouble with Testosterone: and other essays on the biology of the human predicament  1997  “Sometimes it can be enormously stressful to construct a world without stressors.”  “The Burden of Being Burden Free” from The Trouble with Testosterone: and other essays on the biology of the human predicament  1997  “Sometimes it can be enormously stressful to construct a world without stressors.”

3. Psychological Stressors  Traffic Jams,  Mortgages,  Deadlines, or  Relationship Problems  Traffic Jams,  Mortgages,  Deadlines, or  Relationship Problems Trigger the same fight or flight stress response as a physical stressor.

4. Individual Differences Matter  “We differ tremendously as to what stresses us” (Sapolsky, 1997). Certain personality types seem to be predisposed toward stress-related disease. Among some personality types there is a discrepancy between the stressor a person is pummeled with and the style of coping response mobilized. A common theme is a discrepancy between the stressor and the response.

5. Major Depression  As a result of life’s painful lessons, they have learned to be helpless. They don’t attempt to cope at all with stress. The end result is elevated stress hormone levels in their bloodstream.

6. Anxiety Disorders  Persistently mobilizing coping responses that are disproportionately large or ineffective. Life is filled with threats around every corner…

7. “Type A” personalities  Immensely competitive, overachieving, time-pressured, impatient and hostile individuals. They perceive a need for coping responses that are disproportionately large or full of anger.

8. John Henryism  Named after the American folk hero… These people believe that any and all demands can be vanquished, so long as you work hard enough. Good if you live in a privileged, comfortable, middle- class world. Bad if you live in poverty with limited educational or occupational opportunities.

9. “Repressive” Personalities  These people don’t “appear” to have many stressors. They look like they’ve got it “together”. Have “always” or “never” black/white thinking. Have chronically high levels of stress. WHY? They work like “maniacs” to generate their structured, repressed worlds with no ambiguity or surprises.

10. Future Research  Use brian imaging technology (PED, fMRI, EEG, MRI) to examine what occurs in the brains of people with over active stress responses.  Look more closely at how therapy can affect the hormone profiles of these personality types.  Use brian imaging technology (PED, fMRI, EEG, MRI) to examine what occurs in the brains of people with over active stress responses.  Look more closely at how therapy can affect the hormone profiles of these personality types.